Tag Archives: Saxone

Established in 1820, Clark & Co of Kilmarnock manufactured shoes for export, particularly to South America.

From 1887, with the erection of import tariffs in many countries, Clark began to open retail outlets across Great Britain. In 1904 the factory at Titchfield Street employed 150 people.

F & G Abbott Ltd was a shoe retailer established in 1902 which purchased much of its stock from Clark & Co. Saxone was their own-label brand for an American-style men’s shoe.

Saxone offered half sizes, as well as five different fittings for each size. This wide offering of varieties was the key behind the success of the brand.

The Saxone Shoe Company was established in 1908 when Clark & Sons merged with F & G Abbott. George Clark (1861 – 1937) and George Sutherland Abbott (1862 – 1940) were joint-managing directors.

In 1928 the company went public with a share capital of £1 million. By this time there were 106 retail stores.

George Clark, chairman and managing director, died in 1937. G S Abbott left £133,592 when he died in 1940.

Throughout the Second World War a large proportion of production was devoted to military service contracts, including regulation army boots and officer’s footwear.

By 1948 1,200 staff were employed at 180 retail branches, and 1,000 people were employed at Kilmarnock.

In 1956 the firm merged with Lilley & Skinner to form Saxone, Lilley & Skinner. In 1961 the merged firm had 450 shops, seven factories and 26 repair factories.

In 1962 the firm was acquired by British Shoe Corporation.

In the 1960s the firm introduced American Hush Puppie shoes to Britain.

Saxone manufacturing was severely effected by Italian imports to Britain in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Saxone had 111 outlets and 1,100 full time equivalent staff in 1995, but the chain was loss-making. British Shoe Corporation closed the unprofitable Saxone stores in 1996, and the profitable outlets were sold to Facia. Later that year Facia entered receivership and 61 Saxone stores were acquired by the Stylo sports footwear group (now Barratts of Bradford).